[Like most other folks in this area, Laye speaks primarily in Wolof, but he mixes in some French vocabulary and "deep" Wolof phrases that are from the rural areas. He even greeted me with the English slang, "Yo, what's up?"]
[Not just in Senegal, but in many Muslim households, having domesticated animals like dogs is often considered unclean.]
When I was young, I wrestled in amateur wrestling tournaments in many villages like Joal, Mbour and several places around Dakar. When I came to Dakar from Diender, I did not expect to be a wrestler. My friends and I just messed around. However, people pointed out that I was pretty big, so I began to wrestle.
[Laye and I had some long conversations about his training regimen, particularly the way he trains during the holy month of Ramadan when he must fast (go without food) from sunrise to sunset.]
It depends. Like sometimes there are periods when I train just once per day. But, if I am preparing for a match, I train two times (a day). First in the gym, then in the afternoon I go to the beach. I do contact training, boxing...I do everything. If the wrestling is not going as it should be, it is difficult. It has been a while, you know, like a year without a contract. In this situation, you maintain your body, you refuse to sit still. You refuse to give up. All the time, you train each day. If not, your body will "explode!"
You know, during Ramadan you can’t eat, drink, or do anything.
